Bumrah, Ashwin put India in the driving seat

Onecricket


Brief Scores: Australia 195 all out (Marnus Labuschagne 48; Jasprit Bumrah 4-56, R Ashwin 3-35) vs India 36/1 (Shubman Gill 28*, Mitchell Starc 1/14)

India banished the ghosts of their Adelaide debacle in emphatic fashion by condemning Australia to 195 all out after being asked to field on the opening day of the Boxing Day Test. Striking a deadly balance between precision and improvisation, India's bowling unit operated at the peak of its powers to ensure a headstart in their bid to draw the series level. While Jasprit Bumrah (4/56) and Ravichandran Ashwin (3/35) hogged the limelight, debutante Mohammed Siraj (2/40) proved his mettle too alongside Umesh Yadav who doesn't have any reward to show for his graft. 

What spoilt India's evening supper after a satisfying day at the office, however, was Mayank Agarwal's exit to Mitchell Starc's booming in-ducker. An exaggerated high backlift and a prematurely plonked front foot was nothing but a recipe for disaster as the thunderbolt crashed into his pads. 

Shubman Gill enjoyed a piece of beginner's luck with Marnus Labuschagne reprieving him at third slip but managed to steer clear of an on-song Cummins and Starc. The ball was hooping around corners but Australia were guilty of banging it a tad too short, a generic error which resulted in plenty of theatrics but zilch of harm. It didn't take long for Gill to get into his groove as free-flowing strokes ticked the scoreboard at a healthy clip. Cheteshwar Pujara was solid as a rock at the other end as India reached Stumps at 36/1, trailing by 159 runs. 

The moisture trapped in the pitch coupled with India's discipline with the new-ball served for a dangerous cocktail as Australia felt the heat right from the word go. Joe Burns danced to Jasprit Bumrah's tunes, poking aimlessly at a few before offering the faintest of edges behind as an early inroad laid the platform for India's dominance in the morning session. Umesh Yadav was spot on with his channels too and extracted a fair bit of nip off the air on what was a true surface, as promised by the curator. Matthew Wade didn't see the point in playing the waiting game till one of those peaches arose with his name written on it. He was up and about with a hyperactive frame of mind, unleashing some high-elbowed drives to Yadav in his gallop to a quickfire 30 off 39 deliveries. 

With the red-hot ten over burst from the speed dealers done and dusted, Ajinkya Rahane pulled a rabbit out of the hat by launching Ravichandran Ashwin into the attack instead of Mohammed Siraj, the designated first-change bowling option. Despite having paddled him for a smart yet risk-laden boundary, a horrifying blood rush saw Wade waltz down the track the very next ball only to hoick Ashwin down Jadeja's throat at mid-on, even if a back-pedalling Shubman Gill's dash prompted a near-collision. The mightiest moment of triumph followed soon as Ashwin undid Steve Smith, who couldn't keep a glance in check as Pujara pouched a sharp grab at leg slip. Smith, for whom the MCG is a phenomenal hunting ground, was dismissed for his first duck since November 2016.

Labuschagne was a bundle of nerves from the outset, getting pinned on the pads on a couple of occasions but the impact remained too high for leg-before to come into contention. India even burned a review once with Bumrah smashing the knee roll but technology validated the umpire's call. However, brushing aside the initial jitters, Labuschagne grew in confidence and settled into his role of a sheet-anchor after the loss of three wickets. Ashwin tasting success ushered India to deploy spin at both ends with Jadeja in the mix, as debutant Siraj cooled his heels for his first bite of the cherry. 

As many as 11 of the first 25 overs were sent down by the spinners - the most for the start of a Test at the MCG since 1985 - with Ashwin's dip and bounce foxing Australia no end. Each ball felt like an event as the master tweaker chugged along with his tail up, allowing India to keep the hosts on a tight leash. They would've even bagged their fourth scalp courtesy Ashwin in the final over before lunch, but Labuschagne reviewed the lbw shout and the ball was found to be going over, a fortuitous escape indeed as it looked dead plumb to the naked eye. 

Although Siraj was thrown the ball right after the break, in the grander scheme of things, it felt as if India missed a trick by resuming proceedings with him and Yadav. The onus was on Labuschagne and Travis Head to stem the rot and spearhead Jasprit Bumrah would have been the visitors' best bet to put the squeeze on. The duo capitalized on the little window of opportunity and forged a plain sailing 86-run partnership during which the nearest India nudged to any semblance of glory was when Siraj's rapid bouncer rattled Labuschagne's helmet. 

However, just as Australia seemed to be crawling their way out of the hole, Bumrah set Head up into submission. He dealt a barrage of chin music to push the left-hander on his toes before spewing an away-jagging lifter to induce a fat nick to an unconventional fine gully. Rahane's funky field placements worked wonders to lend Siraj his maiden Test wicket, with the well-set Labuschagne falling prey to an uncurbed flick snaffled by Gill at short fine leg. That did the quick's morale a world of good as he found his bearings without further ado, nabbing Cameron Green in front to leave Australia punch drunk at 155/6. 

Tim Paine, Australia's unsung hero of the last match, couldn't provide the rescue again as he was out in an encore of Smith's dismissal - bowled Ashwin, caught leg slip. In case the skipper would have hung around to weave an innings of note, the third umpire giving him the benefit of doubt in a contentious run-out call was sure to spark a furore. 

India have always been wary of the tail raining down their parade but Bumrah's efficiency prevented any lower-order enforced panic. Starc couldn't resist the temptation of a hook while an express delivery got the better of Lyon as he went upstairs to no avail. Cummins heaved Ravindra Jadeja at his own peril, granting the left-arm spinner entry into the wickets column on a day where he wasn't always on the money with his control. The last time Australia were bundled out for consecutive first innings scores under 200 - 195 today to go with 191 in Adelaide - on their home soil was against West Indies in Perth and Brisbane in 1984.

Despite Agarwal's departure in the wee hours of the final session, India have the wood over their arch-rivals, thanks to the bowlers who did their job with flawless artistry. Consolidation is all they would now request from their batsmen so that they can put their feet up for at least a day or so.

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